Rivers beyond borders: Why the Siang is more than water A hydrologist’s reflection from the field

Dr ML Gaur
 It must be listened to. Only then does it begin to reveal its behavior.
Learning from Traditional Wisdoms
In many parts of North East India, I have observed that local communities possess a deep and intuitive understanding of rivers. They know where floods will naturally spread, which areas are prone to erosion, and how to adapt their lives accordingly. Their relationship with the river is not one of control, but of coexistence. This knowledge is invaluable. Modern science must not overlook it—it must integrate it.
A Reflection and a Responsibility
As I stood beside the Siang, watching its uninterrupted journey, I felt that rivers carry a message that we often fail to hear. Rivers do not divide humanity—they connect it. They flow across borders without conflict. They sustain life without discrimination. It is we who impose divisions—through policies, percep- tions, and sometimes through incomplete understanding. The future of regions like the North East— and indeed the broader ecological future of our country—depends on how we respond to this reality.
A Message for Policymakers
Drawing from field experience, I would like to offer a few reflections that may be useful:
View rivers as basin-scale systems, not administrative units
Prioritize upstream ecological stability
Integrate forests, water, land use, and climate planning
Recognize sediment as a natural and essential component
Combine technology with field-based observation
Incorporate local and traditional knowledge systems
Plan for variability and uncertainty, not fixed conditions
Closing Thought
The Siang is not just a river flowing through Aru-nachal Pradesh. It is a living classroom—a system that teaches us about geology, hydrology, ecology, resilience, and humility. The real question before us is not how to control rivers. It is how to understand them—and how to live with them. Because in the end, one truth remains clear from my years in the field : When rivers are respected, they sustain civilizations. When they are misunderstood, they remind us of their power.
Dr ML Gaur is a hydrologist, watershed scientist, and academic leader with over four decades of field experience across India. His work spans river hydrology, watershed management, groundwater systems, forest–water interactions, and climate-resilient landscape development. Currently serving in Northeast India, he continues to engage with complex river systems, integrating science, field wisdom, and policy insight.
VC, Kaziranga University , Jorhat , Assam India
Email : [email protected]  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drmurarigaur/